From Tristin...
  -------------

  A story is told about a soldier who was finally coming home after
  having fought in Vietnam. He called his parents from San Francisco.

  "Mom and Dad, I'm coming home, but I've a favor to ask. I have a
  friend I'd like to bring home with me."
  "Sure," they replied, "we'd love to meet him."
  "There's something you should know," the son continued, "he was hurt
  pretty badly in the fighting. He stepped on a land mine and lost an arm
  and a leg. He has nowhere else to go, and I want him to come live with us."
   "I'm sorry to hear that, son. Maybe we can help him find somewhere to
  live."
  "No, Mom and Dad, I want him to live with us."
  "Son," said the father, "you don't know what you're asking. Someone
  with such a handicap would be a terrible burdento us. We have our own
  lives to live, and we can't let something like this interfere with our
  lives.
  I think you should just come on home and forget about this guy.
  He'll find a way to live on his own."

  At that point, the son hung up the phone. The parents heard nothing
  more from him. A few days later, however, they received a call from the
  San Francisco police. Their son died after falling from a building, they
  were told. The police believed it was suicide.

  The grief-stricken parents flew to San Francisco and were taken to the
  city morgue to identify the body of their son. They recognized him, but
  to their horror they also discovered something they didn't know, their
  son had only one arm and one leg. 

  The parents in this story are not unlike many ofus. We find it easy to
  love those who are good-looking or fun to have around, but we don't like
  people who inconvenience us or make us feeluncomfortable. We would
  rather stay away from people who aren't as healthy, beautiful, or smart
  as we are.  (See Luke 15:11-32)

  Thankfully, there's One who won't treat us that way. He loves us with
  an unconditional love that welcomes us into His forever family,
  regardless of how messed up we are.
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 Points To Ponder!
------------------

 Laughter is the best medicine for a long and happy life.
 He who laughs............lasts.

 Forgiveness is our greatest achievement and our highest calling.

 A friend is a person who knows all about you... and still likes you.

 If you can't have the best of everything, make the best of everything you have.

 We are as healthy as our relationships.

 Touch is a great therapy.

 God help the man who won't marry until he finds the perfect woman,
 and God help him still more if he finds her.

 Don't marry someone you can live with.
 Marry someone you cannot live without.

 Life is too precious and marriage is too sweet to rush into
 relationships that are less than best for you.

 The most important things in life aren't things.

 The trouble with most people is that they stop trying in trying times.

 Don't let your children become more important than your partner.

 A husband is a man who stands by you through all the problems you wouldn't
 have had, had you stayed single.

 If you're happy, let your face know it and show it!

 Live your life and forget about your age!

 Everyone has a future....... some people plan theirs.

 We can't change anybody but ourselves.

 One of our greatest strengths is to admit our weaknesses.

 Obstacles are what you see if you take your eyes off the goal.


------------------------------------------------------------
   SLOW DOWN.......

	Have you ever watched kids on a merry-go-round,
	or listened to rain slapping the ground?
	Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight,
	or gazed at the sun into the fading night?

	You better slow down,
	don't dance so fast,
	time is short, the music won't last.

	Do you run through each day on the fly,
	when you ask "How are you?",
	do you hear the reply?

	When the day is done,
	do you lie in your bed,
	with the next hundred chores running through your head?

	You better slow down,
	don't dance so fast
	time is short, the music won't last.

	Ever told your child,
	we'll do it tomorrow,
	and in your haste, not seen his sorrow?

	Ever lost touch,
	let a good friendship die,
	'cause you never had time to call and say "hi".

	You better slow down,
	don't dance so fast
	time is short, the music won't last.

	When you run so fast to get somewhere,
	you miss half the fun of getting there,
	When you worry and hurry though your day,
	it is like an unopened gift thrown away.

	Life is not a race,
	so take it slower,
	hear the music before the song is over.

	- author unknown -
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